A VARIATION of a Continental tour granted in March, without' objection,
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to Kirkbright and Clark, Ltd.. Burnley, was out of all proportion to the previous user, the North Western Traffic Commissioners were told at Manchester, on Tuesday, by Mr. Henry Backhousc, representing James Smith and Co. (Wigan). Ltd.
Smith's were objecting to an application by Kirkbright and Clark. Ltd., to vary the inclusive charge on their nineday Continental tour. Mr. Backhousc said Smith's had missed the publication of the renewal, otherwise they would have objected. They were alarmed by the present position. The applicants had only eight tours on their licence, but were allowed to operate up to 20 vehicles on any day.
Originally a holiday licence, restricted to July and August, it was extended at the last renewal to a period from April to October. The Cotitincntal tour, unrestricted as to destination, had pickingup points all over the Smith's area.
Mr. I. Kirkbright, under crossexamination, agreed that until 1954 he had been in partnership with Rentons, who now controlled Florence Motors, Ltd. He denied that negotiations were in progress for the sale of his business, but said he was not prepared to accept any vehicle restriction on his Continental tours, for which the demand was increasing. Next year he planned to run from Easter to October and hotels had been boated for two coach loads each week to Switzerland.
Mr. Backhouse submitted that the applicants had never operated more than three vehicles to the Continent, or outside July and August. They should be restricted to not more than three vehicles in July and August and one during the rest of the season.
Mr. F. Williamson, chairman, said that whether they had the power to attach restrictive conditions now was a matter of some doubt, but in any event they did not propose to do so. This was a technical variation, and if Smith's wished to challenge other licence conditions, they should do so at the next renewal. The application would be granted: